So far, only the order renewals were possible.
In France, two treatments are subject to strict framework. Since their arrival on the market in 2024, only specialists in endocrinology, diabetology or nutrition can prescribe them. The reason? Decreases for aesthetic purposes, linked to their proven effectiveness on weight loss. But that could change.
The National Medicines Agency (ANSM) must launch a procedure to allow general practitioners to prescribe them, in accordance with the request made by Catherine Vautrin, Minister of Health, and Yannick Neuder, Minister responsible for health and access to care. “This is good news (…) These are excessively expected drugs” reacted Anne-Sophie Joly, president of the National Collective of Obesse Associations, with our colleagues from Franceinfo. Before recalling that “Ten million people suffer from obesity. If you add to that all the people who suffer from overweight, we arrive at half of the French population. ”
The two drugs are the Wegovy ©, manufactured by the Danish laboratory Novo Nordisk, and the Mounjaro ©, produced by the American pharmaceutical group Eli Lilly. Wegovy © contains semaglutide, one of the hormones that manages satiety. As for the mounjaro ©, it contains shooting, which has demonstrated very significant effects on weight loss. These two drugs are analogues of GLP-1 like the famous Ozempic®. They are administered in the form of an injection into the belly, in the management of overweight, obesity (BMI greater than 35) and type 2 diabetes.
The drug agency must lead “A phase of questioning of the prescribers to be able to bring back good practices“. “We are in a data collection, but we want to move forward on this subject, and if possible before the summer” shared Yannick Neuder. Note that these drugs are expensive (300 euros per box for Wegovy®) and that they are not reimbursed by health insurance.
